Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions. ✶
Sunday, May 5
Touring for his latest album Upside Down Mountain, Conor Oberst hit the Metro stage last night along with Dawes. Our photographer Amanda Koellner was there to catch the action on film.
Photos by Amanda Koellner
— Anne Holub
It all started with the sublime "XXX 88," a Diplo-produced absolute siren of a jam the Danish 25 year-old dropped last August (and which played an integral and much-repeated part in my Indian Summer playlist).
Mø seems to be a member of a rising crop of new artists on the brink of mainstream success--Sam Smith, Banks, and Charli XCX among others--who legitimately seem to be exploring new territory in the pop music landscape. Mø's music is hard to describe, a quality that most likely contributed to her early hype. Part pop, part modern electronic, part dance, part R&B-- these disparate parts make up a whole that is more original and engaging and raucous than 99% of the dreck that currently occupies the mainstream charts.
Mø graced Lincoln Hall this Wednesday night, accompanied by fellow Scandinavian Erik Hassle, the latter of who delivered a heart-melting rendition of his blogosphere hit "Talk About It" to great effect. But it was Mø, whose stage name means "Maiden" in Danish, who unequivocally owned the night, the audience, and the venue.
Mø left no corner of Lincoln Hall unexplored, determined to reach every member of the audience in a city that she had never been to until that same day.
She sang from the balcony. She crowd surfed multiple times. She even got up on the bar, Coyote Ugly style (minus the gyrating stripteasing). This girl goes hard, and it's difficult to assume she doesn't do this for every show. Here is an artist who actually enjoys her own music--she owns her songs, and gives herself up to the music--which is wholly refreshing when compared to the sullen and un-emotive alternative.
Now, I'm no concert novice. I've seen shows that left my ears ringing for a full 24 hours, but the bass--and synths and guitar and 808s--at this show were of a class unto themselves. Particularly, the bass was so potent and booming it's difficult to describe without resorting to hyperbolics. It's a miracle the audience left with their internal organs intact.
If Mø's EP Bikini Daze was a late summer soundtrack to the winding down party of the warm months, then No Mythologies, with its 808's and massive synths, represents the genesis of a new season. This particular spring night, she barreled through almost her entire debut, opening with "Fire Rides," bringing down the house with single "Glass," and serenading the audience Romeo-and-Juliet-style from the second level.
Scrunchie high on her head, face matted with sweat, voice hoarse by the end of show, and what had to be a severely sore neck from her insistent headbanging and Stevie-Nicks electro-gypsy dancing, Mø backed up every promise of her album and early hype to the entire audience at Lincoln Hall last night. Safe to say no eardrums will be spared as Mø makes her way through her North American tour. It's well worth the ringing sensation.
— Emma Gase
By Elliot Mandel
To the woman sitting behind me at the symphony who said, "No offense, but you're tall" - I'll try to be shorter next time. If you're sitting behind me at any of these concerts, I apologize in advance.
Chicago Q Ensemble: No Exit
Chicago Q Ensemble is emerging among a groundbreaking crop of chamber ensembles. With its second musical/dramatic production, NO EXIT, Q reimagines the traditional violin-viola-cello trio format as a theatrical concert beyond instruments. As Sartre's classic novel explores hell as other people, Q will examine what happens when Mozart's Divertimento in E-Flat comes in contact with Giacinto Scelsi's String Trio. Tickets are $10; admission is age 18 and older. Sunday, June 1, 8:30pm. Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave.
NO EXIT from Chicago Q Ensemble on Vimeo.
— Elliot Mandel
Summer in Chicago brings a wealth of live music opportunities; from individual concerts, to street festivals, and festivals, there is a plethora of great music options, and picking and choosing opportunities is key in order to experience all the live music you would like to hear in one summer. However, what seems to be discarded sometimes is how many large-scale, gargantuan music festivals we hold in the city, as compared to smaller festivals. From Lollapalooza, to Riot Fest, to Wavefront and North Coast, there is immense value to be had in a smaller, more intimate festival experience.
This is precisely why the A.V. Fest / Hideout Block Party is consistently my favorite music spot to be at during a Chicago summer season. With the emphasis on local food and drink and typically featuring many artists from Chicago as well, the festival gives one a strengthened sense of pride for their city, and the aspect of only one stage is a welcome change of pace from diligently reading a festival map and sprinting to another spot to see the next act. It's a full crowd, but comfortable, and the Hideout is a neighborhood gem that I feel proud to support each year.
— Sarah Brooks / Comments (1)
Metronomy has gone through some massive growth spurts in its inception. Originally the group consisted solely of Joseph Mount creating experimental electronic music. Quickly he began adding members for live shows, expanding his music simultaneously. Eventually the group grew to a veer full-fledged band, much grander and substantially different from its origins. They've gone shifted through soundscapes, from the accessible The English Riviera to the surprisingly psych Love Letters. They came through Metro this past Wednesday, showing how far they gotten in recent years.
Cloud Control, an Australian psych rock opened the night. While it's relatively easy to define them as a psych rockers, they tend to veer towards a very poppy version of it. A lot of the pop sensibilities could be attributed to the infectious energy that the band's vocalists exhibited. Heidi Lenffer's heavily modified voice on one of the songs was delightful. Alister Wright's voice was also incredibly versatile, gleefully transitioning from mannered vocals to high pitched snarls. The band is incredibly cohesive, with songs like "Promises" sounding similar to the Pixies in their prime.
— Julian Ramirez
It's been six years since Elbow played Chicago. At the time, they were riding the wave of The Seldom Seen Kid, which took that year's Mercury Prize. Since then, the band have put out two albums and evolved their arty Britpop sound behind the strengths of Guy Garvey's heartfelt lyrics and vocals, and the band's growth as songwriters and performers. But on Monday, all that concerned the sold out House of Blues crowd was hearing the pristine pop that Elbow churns out in spades.
Early in the set, they went often to their recent The Take Off and Landing of Everything album. But once they got to older songs, things naturally began to click with the crowd, from "The Bones of You"'s sweeping chorus to the raw emotion in "Scattered Black and Whites" to the titanic "Grounds for Divorce" singalong. Between those, Garvey was talkative and charismatic, telling short stories that often punctuated points about the next song. To close, they went for "Lippy Kids" and their anthemic "One Day Like This", which a girl in the balcony had been yelling about the last 15 minutes. Even though the latter can be a little repetitive, Elbow's played it so often that they know how to keep it fresh with Garvey encouraging the crowd to sing boisterously.
John Grant may have been relatively unknown, but that may not last long. His imposing presence ingratiated himself to the crowd almost immediately. And it seems like he is taking frontman cues from Guy Garvey on this jaunt across America. His short set (barely a half-hour) featured a nice set of songs, mostly from last year's way underrated Pale Green Ghosts, that feature his best attributes as a writer. The lyrics paint pictures and, even when they're a little goofy, they tug at heartstrings with universal themes. There's a little Richard Buckner in his delivery, too. Unfortunately, the synths that stand out so much in his music came off a little flat on Monday, but it was all that kept his set from being top-notch.
— James Ziegenfus
Over the years, Brooklyn based Mirah has taken her music on an interesting journey. She has worked with a large assortment of musicians, from Phil Elvrum of The Microphones to Thao Nguyen. Mirah has progressed her music from her early and wonderfully lo-fi sound to a more polished and mature state. Mirah, along with Loamlands and Led to Sea, came to Space this past Wednesday in support of her latest album Changing Light.
The first musician of the night was Led to Sea, consisting of the talented Alex Guy and her violin. The solo performance was absolutely astounding. There is something genuinely delightful about Guy's stage presence, whether elegantly bowing or gently plucking her violin. Her songs are infinitely absorbing, stemming from assessments of sometimes being a bad girlfriend and crashing bike into a BMW. Guy played a few new songs from a forthcoming album, which she teased throughout the night. She harmonized with her looped voice and instrument; a unison so well assembled that it sent verifiable chills across the room. Her set was short and sweet, a mere glimpse of her talent.
— Julian Ramirez
Finding out about the Riot Fest lineup on Tuesday evening was akin to experiencing complete euphoria, like receiving a long-awaited birthday present as a kid, the first glimpse of sunshine after a Chiberia winter, or a first listen to your favorite band's newest record. The lineup for the festival's 10th anniversary absolutely exceeded my expectations with its stellar lineup of veteran favorites, up-and-comers, and elusive finds that I wistfully listened to years ago, their sound still seeping into my thoughts from time to time.
As if this amazing lineup wasn't enough, Riot Fest unveiled an additional surprise for its 10th year, during which 10 bands will be performing a pinnacle album from their catalog in its full duration. Entitled "10 Years. 10 Essential Albums," this new phase of Riot Fest will allow attendees to hear some of their most coveted albums from some of their most cherished artists, in their full-length form in a live setting. What could be better?
— Sarah Brooks
The best things about being in the Chicago music scene are the nonstop opportunities to see new and upcoming bands perform. There are more than a few hidden gems out there that will satisfy your musical needs. It is imperative to seek out the types of shows that venues like Subterranean host, allowing local bands to grow and flourish. This past Sunday they hosted a nice grouping of punk and indie rock in the form of Bluster , Aggro Control, and the Cartridge B-Sides.
Bluster began the night with their eclectic sound, which times the felt like straight up rock before delving into more post punk territory. The singing was split between guitarist Mark and bassist Anne, who happened to be the only woman and mother playing on that lovely Mother's Day evening. Their songs have a catchy edge to them and while Bluster's status is particularly new, you can definitely see their cohesive talent. Bluster was quite fun, bantering with the crowd and chalking up a slight misstep to a necessity of rock and roll. They certainly hit a wonderful rocking high with their final two songs, especially with the ecstatic "Elegy" which best captures Bluster's energy.
— Julian Ramirez
Nate Wooley. Photo by Peter Gannushkin
Nate Wooley's trumpet playing, with its long lines and grainy textures, combines equally well with musical/tonal playing, free improvisation, and abstract composition. Unlike many modern improv players (brass-based or otherwise), Wooley's first mark on the canvas is a line, not a point. His lush, strange, visceral sound (one reviewer called his work "exquisitely hostile") cuts a path through the overgrown forest of free improv seemingly perpendicular to all other travelers. Like a hand-ground audio pigment, Wooley's sound mixes well on a variety of canvases, capable of providing abstract shadows on large landscapes (including work in Anthony Braxton's Tri-Centric Orchestra and also his trumpet quintet) or streaking across a stark white paper, trailing rough chunks and feathery dust (in solo improvisation works like [8] Syllables).
— Chris Sienko / Comments (1)
Some say that poetry is music. We'd like to add that an experience as unique and magical as a 3-day music festival in the middle of Chicago is something best captured in a poem. Better yet, a hiaku. That's right, we're daring you to create haikus about the Pitchfork Music Festival. Just write your most poignant thoughts down in a 5/7/5 syllable haiku in the comments below (Be sure to include a valid email address!) and we'll pick 2 winners to receive a 3-day pass to this year's fest!
Haikus must be entered in comments below by 3pm Friday, 5/16. We'll notify winners by email. Write as many haikus as you like! [Update! We've notified our 2 winners by email! Thanks for all the amazing entries!]
Need inspiration? Here are a few to inspire you, by Transmission writer Mike Bellis:
Would you like to see
Pitchfork's summer jubilee
All three days, for FREE?
Gapers has your back;
A way to watch Slowdive and
Neutral Milk attack
Send us some haikus
On some of Pitchfork's who's who's
And we'll cure your blues
Five, seven and five
Rhyming's swell, if you can jive
If not, well, that's cool.
How could you delay?
Grimes and St Vincent await --
Write us now, today!
— Anne Holub / Comments (80)
Ending months of speculation and seemingly endless requests by fervent twitter acolytes, Riot Fest released the lineup for this year's edition. The Cure, Slayer and The National are just some the headliners that were announced just moments ago.
The lineup is expansive and impressive including everyone from Pussy Riot to the Wu-Tang Clan. At first glance, some of the acts I find myself excited for are The Hotelier, La Dispute, Dads, Saosin, and The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die. Other notable acts include Patti Smith as well as The Afghan Whigs. Andrew WK returns for a third year of partying, but the most interesting thing I see on the lineup so far is the inclusion of GWAR which is a curiosity. Dave Brockie, the lead vocalist of GWAR recently passed away and I'm curious as to what will happen. A tribute of sorts to GWAR? Who knows? We'll find out in September.
Chicago acts aren't lacking with Archie Powell & the Exports, ShowYouSuck, My Gold Mask, along with legacy Chicago bands such as Naked Raygun and Cheap Trick all booked to play.
As we previously reported, Riot Fest returns to Humboldt Park this September on the 12th through 14th. This year is special in particular as it marks the ten year anniversary of Riot Fest's existence in Chicago and it appears they went all out to celebrate. Right on.
Tickets can be purchased here. Check out a copy and paste of the lineup so far below.
The Cure * Jane's Addiction * The National * Rise Against * Weezer
The Flaming Lips * Social Distortion * Slayer * The Offspring * Wu-Tang Clan
Descendents * Tegan and Sara * Metric * Samhain * Cheap Trick * ????
Pussy Riot (Nadya Tolokonnikova & Masha Alekhina) * Patti Smith
Taking Back Sunday * Die Antwoord * City and Colour * Paul Weller * The Used
Bring Me The Horizon * ???? * NOFX * Dropkick Murphys * Gogol Bordello
Of Mice & Men * Mastodon *The Afghan Whigs * Naked Raygun * Cock Sparrer
Dashboard Confessional * Superchunk * Billy Bragg * Blue Meanies * Lucero
New Found Glory * Saosin w/ Anthony Green * ???? * Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Murder City Devils * Mudhoney * Failure * Hot Snakes * The Dandy Warhols
Thurston Moore * Circa Survive * The Get Up Kids * Motion City Soundtrack
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes * Streetlight Manifesto * Clutch * GWAR
Buzzcocks * Andrew W.K. * Bouncing Souls * Stiff Little Fingers * Face to Face
Kurt Vile & The Violators * Marky Ramone w/ the Bouncing Souls * Wavves
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears * We Came As Romans * Senses Fail
The Orwells * ALL * Mineral * Title Fight * La Dispute * RX Bandits
Samiam * 7 Seconds * Anti-Flag * The Menzingers * The Front Bottoms
Silverstein * Emarosa * Citizen * The World is a Beautiful Place... * Bad Suns
The Pizza Underground * The Hotelier * Nostalghia * In The Valley Below
Radkey * Pianos Become The Teeth * Modern Baseball * I Am the Avalanche
Skaters * Laura Stevenson * Cerebral Ballzy * Red City Radio * PUP * Dads
Show You Suck * The Unlikely Candidates * Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas
My Gold Mask * The Bots * Broncho * The American Scene
Baby Baby * Restorations *Wounds * Plague Vendor * Team Spirit * Somos
Rose's Pawn Shop * Chumped *Archie Powell & The Exports * Ex Friends
& more to be announced!!
— Justin Freeman
Once again, the Empty Bottle (1035 N. Western Ave) brings out the dark and sticky from the corners and onto the stage for the three days of springtime mayhem known as the Hozac Blackout Fest. This weekend's conflagration of songs to stomp things to includes punk and proto-punk favorites, local bands, imported bands, and bands you're gonna wish you heard in the Music/Friendly/Dancing confines on Western Ave. Get your 3-day pass while you can (if you still can) or plop down some dough for your steady's new favorite date night.
In many ways the music of the The Boys is like a transitional fossil, somehow quietly bridging the gap between a poppier 1960s British music scene and the late '70s London punk explosion. Long overshadowed by the work of contemporaries and peers such as the Clash and the Sex Pistols, The Boys' songwriting and musicianship are in many cases the equal of or superior to their better known genre-mates. Though The Boys never really reaped commercial success, they've long been critical and cult darlings, inspiring, perhaps most notably, Germany's iconic punkers Die Toten Hosen, who have long championed their music. Their Blackout Fest appearance comes on the eve of their first new album in over 30 years, Punk Rock Menopause, set for release on June 20, and offers a seriously rare opportunity to see the band stateside.
— Transmission
I began listening to Nickel Creek when I was roughly eleven years old. I had just emerged from my 90s pop music phase, thankfully, when my dad put their self-titled debut on in the car one day. I was immediately captivated by the lush bluegrass riffs, and the sensibility of their vocals. It was a sound unlike anything I'd heard before, and I was immediately hooked by the unique and deliberate craft that was their sound.
Fast forward 12 years later, and I still hadn't seen this group live. That is due to the fact that Nickel Creek took a lengthy six and a half year hiatus to focus on solo projects for Chris Thile and Sara Watkins. Watkins branched out and delivered her own material, while Thile was all over the board, from solo material, to the group Punch Brothers, and even to recording with Yo-Yo Ma for The Goat Rodeo Sessions. As much as I adored their solo work, I so desperately wanted them to reunite.
Friday evening at The Riviera Theatre was like a dream for me and many other concertgoers who had not seen Nickel Creek in a live performance setting as of yet. I entered the concert hall eagerly at 8pm, and each seat and space on the large standing room floor had been occupied swiftly, with stray concertgoers checking for a seat with little to no avail.
— Sarah Brooks / Comments (1)
Television was somewhat of an outlier when they burst onto the New York punk scene in the mid-1970s. Rich guitaring was at the forefront of their sound, and it wasn't uncommon for "jazz" to pop up in reviews about their music. In some ways, they could be seen as punk's Grateful Dead. And that was certainly on display at Metro on Thursday. Unfortunately, some of the meandering improvisation that comes with Grateful Dead territory plagued segments of the 90-minute set.
Technically, they were very strong with founder Tom Verlaine and Jimmy Rip putting on a clinic between their guitaring precision. But a ton of time was spent on general noodling that eventually lost swaths of the audience. (I'm looking at you, "Persia.") And a band who came to prominence in the mid-70s doesn't exactly draw a crowd with short attention spans, so losing some people who've waited decades to see them live was a feat.
However, when they ran hot ("Little Johnny Jewel", "Marquee Moon", "Friction"), they sounded fresh and vibrant. Age was not at all a factor with their musicianship, even if Verlaine did need a solid crowd assist to fill in the "See No Evil" chorus. But you don't see Television to hear them sing. You see them because they created some fascinating tunes. And when they were locked in, there was no denying the strength of their music and why people continue to be captivated by it.
— James Ziegenfus
By Griffin Wenzler
Nels Cline is more fluent in music than you are with the English language. In fact, everyone in his ensemble, The Nels Cline Singers, speaks through their instruments with the eloquence and precision of America's greatest novelists. Tuesday night at Evanston's SPACE (1245 Chicago Ave.), the quartet rocked, jazzed, and freaked their way through two sets of the most soulful, energetic, human music I've heard in Chicago. The Singers, which consist of Trevor Dunn (bass), Scott Amendola (drums) and Cline (guitar) were joined by Brazilian percussionist and Cheshire Cat impressionist, Cyro Baptista.
Every time I walk away from a Singers show I feel younger and invigorated, inspired to do anything with as much passion as they put into their craft. Tuesday night I almost couldn't handle it. As they played, each song brought to mind different scenes and scenarios: a bubbly swamp, a smoky New Orleans pier, the western plains but with robots instead of cowboys. I was ready to take to the page and gush nonsense about the journey I had been taken on. But then I realized that I was imposing human order on the chaotic beauty of the natural world. That is what the Nels Cline Singers tap into. They play with such sincerity and joy that the songs are imbued with the ineffable quality of natural beauty. Baptista spent the night alternating between drumming on odds-n-ends and slinging odds-n-ends around his head as he mumbled gibberish into a vocal synth. Trevor Dunn's upright chops are other worldly. More than once, the people in front of me did cartoon double takes and stared at each other in a Bill and Ted "Excellent!" sort of way. Scott Amendola and Nels Cline shared "electronic freakout" duties alongside their doctorate level performances on drums and guitar.
The incredibly energetic performance was buttressed by the impeccable acoustics of SPACE. The owners have gone out of their way to ensure they run not just a world class performance venue for rock, but also a listening room for the jazz heads.
Nels Cline doesn't play in Chicago often, and it's too bad because his blend of experimental rock, noise, and jazz speak directly to this city's musical heart. He approaches songcraft with the joy of a child and through that his music offers something for fans of nearly any genre.
— Transmission
Hundreds of twenty-something funk seekers packed into Lincoln Hall for a sold-out Chromeo show on Monday night. Lucky for them, the Canadian electro duo was on point, bringing their '80s-reminicent beats, silly lyrics and sex appeal for a special show on Cinco de Mayo -- dubbed "CIN-CHRO de MEO" on their Twitter account.
Loud chants of "Chromeo...OOOOOH!" welcomed guitarist Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) and keyboardist P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) onto the stage as they sauntered over to their instruments while the "Intro" of the band's sophomore album, "Fancy Footwork," began to blare throughout the intimate venue.
Then they officially kicked things off with a couple of the most infectious songs from 2010's "Business Casual." Somewhere between "Night by Night" and "Host Mess," Dave 1 took the opportunity to show off an impressive talent. He stood in the middle of he stage, commanding all of the attention, as the almost unbearably incandescent strobe lights converged on his reflective guitar. But he really wowed everyone, including himself, when he directed one of the beams up to the disco ball, causing little lights to dance amongst the crowd.
— Brianna Kelly
If anyone was concerned before about the Godspeed You! Black Emperor reunion shows possibly putting Efrim Menuck's other project, Thee Silver Mt. Zion on hold, there now seems to be no reason to doubt that Efrim Menuck can handle somehow being a parent, releasing albums under both bands, and touring heavily. It's enough to inspire awe in both his creativity and his stamina.
— Kirstie Shanley
Yesterday afternoon, the annual XXL Freshmen list was announced, and Chicago was highly represented on it. For all of y'all that don't know, XXL is an influential rap magazine that's been around since the late 90's. Once a year they curate a list of 12 "freshmen," emerging artists of whom they consider to be the most promising. Of these 12 selections, Chicago is home to four of them; Chance the Rapper, Lil Durk, Vic Mensa and Lil Bibby.
— Justin Freeman
If Goose Island knows anything, it's that Chicago loves its hip-hop. And if you're a leading beer brand trying to win over the hearts and minds of Chicago's pumped up youth, you throw a kickass party in Pilsen co-sponsored by The FADER and invite the freshest duo coming out of the hip-hop scene — Run the Jewels, to the party.
As part of a three city tour, Analog Migration stopped by Chicago last week for the kick-off, bringing with it El-P and Killer Mike's Run The Jewels, Los Angeles-based punk band Tijuana Panthers and Chicago's DJ Timbuck2.
The last time I waxed poetic on hip-hop was when I got a backstage pass at a Roots show at a street festival a couple of summers ago, so I was out of my league on this one. So out of my league, that I forgot to leave my Ann Taylor blazer at home. Upon arrival, I immediately learned one thing: when you throw punk and hip-hop fans in one room, you get a lot of hoodies.
— Brandy Gonsoulin
By Elliot Mandel
Adventures in new music this month. Three hometown ensembles present three vastly different approaches; go hear something unfamiliar and exotic!
Chicago Composers Orchestra: Deep Listening
The far-reaching CCO closes its fourth season with music by some of the top female American composers of our time. In Four Meditations for Orchestra, Pauline Oliveros focuses on heightened awareness of sound and silence as the musicians of the orchestra improvise without a conductor. Olivia Block's Voyager Golden Record explores the world of sound design — white noise, indecipherable voices, and tape loops. Marita Bolles incorporates varying and overlapping tempos in In Due Time from individual pulses to expanded rhythms. Composer/performer Nicole Mitchell's Flight for Freedom weaves jazz, pop, and African elements into a work that celebrates African American figures. Tickets are $15 general, $8 student. Saturday, May 10, 8pm. St. James Cathedral, 65 E. Huron.
— Elliot Mandel
Archie Powell & the Exports are no stranger to the indie rock music game. As a matter of fact, their third studio album, Back in Black, was released just this past week. Featuring Powell on the album cover, sulking amidst a dark backdrop but asserting a powerful gaze at the camera, the image projects how the group has grown and honed in on their sound over their years of making music together.
The themes of the group's new album emerge with the very first song, aptly titled "Everything's Fucked." Powell screams and wails his way through the beginning of the song, distressed about the aspects of every day life within the very first verse. An angsty ballad, the song propels the album forth with a vengeance. This isn't their first album, Skip Work; while still amazing, the material featured on this record is more summery and jubilant, with a darker yet more accessible tone. The subjects are wrought with authenticity while focused within their angst and pain, and seemingly, I identify with the songs more closely than previous material.
"Tattoo on My Brain" lightens the mood a bit and ushers in Archie Powell & The Exports' signature sound. However, the production is tighter and more cultivated than previous work. "Lean" promotes the further angsty feel to their sound, which I definitely wasn't anticipating. However, I didn't hate it, I welcomed it. "Scary Dream" took a detour to the oldest Archie Powells & The Exports material, the beachy, sunshine sound that we are accustomed to, however it is still darker and more reminiscent of a vengeful tempo, akin to that of Arctic Monkeys or the Hives.
— Sarah Brooks
Things seem to be escalating quickly for the local doom metal quartet, Mount Salem. First, they were signed by the influential Metal Blade Records. In March, they released their debut album, Endless, which has been on heavy rotation ever since I acquired it. Tonight is another achievement as it marks the start of their nationwide headlining tour.
In addition to having some of the raddest (potentially NSFW) cover art I've seen in awhile, what I find appealing about them is that they do so well what early Black Sabbath albums did. What I mean is that they've found the sinister undertones of old blues records and amplified it to its logical endgame.
Mount Salem play tonight, May 1st, at Township (2200 N California Ave.) This is a 21+ show. Cokegoat, Lagoon, and Jap Herron all open. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased here.
Check out a video of them performing at Ultra Lounge (RIP) last summer below.
— Justin Freeman
A few minutes ago, North Coast Music Festival released the first wave lineup of this year's event. The late summer festival returns for its fifth year on August 29th through the 31st at Union Park. Weekend passes will run you $150 and can be purchased here.
The lineup itself looks impressive. North Coast has always focused on the intersection of rap, jam bands and EDM. This year looks no different with STS9, Bassnectar and Snoop Dogg all set to headline. The undercard looks intriguing too, with Future Islands, Riff Raff, Washed Out, Action Bronson, Dr. Dog, Cashmere Cat and a slew of others all scheduled to appear. Chicago acts have a sizable presence as Wild Belle, Prob Cause, Ghosthouse, Zebo and several others perform.
Check out the full announcement below.
— Justin Freeman
Transmission staffers share their most cherished memories and moments while writing for Gapers Block.
Alarm Magazine
BackStage
Big Rock Candy Mountain
Boxx Magazine
Brooklyn Vegan Chicago
Can You See The Sunset From The Southside
Chicago Reader Music
Chicagoist Arts & Events
ChicagoMusic.org
Chicago Music Guide
Chicago Singles Club
CHIRP
Country Music Chicago
Cream Team
Dark Jive
Daytrotter
The Deli Chicago
Jim DeRogatis
Do312
Fake Shore Drive
Gowhere Hip Hop
Gridface
The Hood Internet
Innerview
Jaded in Chicago
Largehearted Boy
Little White Earbuds
Live Fix Blog
Live Music Blog
Loud Loop Press
Oh My Rockness
Pop 'stache
Pitchfork
Pop Matters
Resident Advisor
Songs:Illinois
Sound Opinions
Sun-Times Music Blog
Theft Liable to Prosecution
Tribune Music
UR Chicago
Victim Of Time
WFMU's Beware of the Blog
Windy City Rock
Abbey Pub
Andy's Jazz Club
Aragon Ballroom
Auditorium Theatre
Beat Kitchen
B.L.U.E.S
Bottom Lounge
Buddy Guy's Legends
The Burlington
California Clipper
Concord Music Hall
Congress Theater
Constellation
Cubby Bear
Double Door
Elbo Room
Empty Bottle
FitzGerald's
Green Mill
The Hideout
Honky Tonk BBQ
House of Blues
Kingston Mines
Lincoln Hall
Logan Square Auditorium
Martyrs'
Mayne Stage
Metro
The Mutiny
Old Town School of Folk Music
Park West
The Promontory
Red Line Tap
Reggie's Rock Club & Music Joint
The Riviera
Rosa's
Schubas
Thalia Hall
The Shrine
Smartbar
Subterranean
Symphony Center
Tonic Room
Township
Uncommon Ground
The Vic
The Whistler
Alligator Records
Atavistic
Beverly Records
Bloodshot Records
Dave's Records
Delmark Records
Drag City
Dusty Groove
Flameshovel Records
Groove Distribution
He Who Corrupts
Hozac
Jam Productions
Jazz Record Mart
Kranky Records
Laurie's Planet of Sound
Minty Fresh
Numero Group
mP Shows
Permanent Records
Reckless Records
Smog Veil Records
Southport & Northport Records
Thick Records
Thrill Jockey Records
Touch & Go/Quarterstick Records
Victory Records
Join the Transmission Flickr Pool.
Transmission is the music section of Gapers Block. It aims to highlight Chicago music in its many varied forms, as well as cover touring acts performing in the city. More...
Please see our submission guidelines.
Editor: Sarah Brooks, sarah@gapersblock.com
Transmission staff inbox: transmission@gapersblock.com
Subscribe in a reader.
